Periwinkle Smiles
by Arasia
Summary: a collection of Bleach drabbles for whenever short spurts of inspiration strikes. content will range from the friendship to romance
1. Acknowledgement

**Title**. Periwinkle smiles

**Disclaimer**. Bleach and all its characters belong to Kubo Tite. If I owned them I wouldn't be slogging away unhappily at a desk job.

******A/N****. I have little drabbles lying around, so I decided to post them up as a collection of drabbles, and update whenever inspiration strikes.**

I'm actually musing on a couple of ideas at the moment for long fics, but they scare me a little because I don't know if I will get stuck halfway or don't know how to end. I have little snippets written up here and there for them, but I just don't have the courage to post them up.

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After that fateful day in the rain, so many years ago, Ichigo hardly ever smiled or laughed anymore. This mask of indifference had built over his face, creating the cool and apathetic image that he became known for in school. His perpetual scowl and bright orange locks tended to scare people who did not know him, causing people to judge him as scary, or a delinquent, when they first meet him; but the teachers and even the little old ladies at the market shops came to recognize that this boy was respectful - even if he wasn't the most polite in manner of speech, smart and hard working - always keeping up his good grades, helpful and honest - helping many grandmothers with their heavy loads, and always returning extra change received.

Despite the indifferent façade he showed to the world, his friends know of the fire that burned strongly inside him – his hot temper, his passion and conviction in protecting others, fierce loyalty to his friends and family, and blazing fervor to see wrongs being made right. It was that spark, that light, that drew them to him, and made them as protective and faithful to him as he was to them. Ask any of them, and they would follow him to hell and back at the drop of a hat – in fact, some of them already had. Through all the situations they had endured together, there had never been acknowledgements that were expressly verbalized. A look, a pat on the back or shoulder, a nod. An inclination of the head here, a tip of the chin there. They didn't have to say anything, they just knew.

Ishida would throw him a crooked smirk and a snide remark, Chad, a low murmur and a hand on the shoulder. Renji would sneer, and comment on how his efforts were "passable", while Rukia would probably be smacking or kicking him for something reckless he did during battle. Even if they didn't know what was going on, Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro always seemed to know when something big had happened, and Tatsuki would welcome him back with a grin and cuff to shoulder, Mizuiro a smile, and Keigo with overdramatic tears.

And Inoue… Inoue would be there, smiling serenely at him, but the unshed tears that shone in her bright brown eyes would not escape his eyes. She would run over to him briskly and call forth her shield to heal him, her powers healing his wounds, while her smile and wellbeing soothed his heart. He hated that his going to battle made her worry, but knew it was a necessary evil in order to keep her safe. He hated when the tears would come into her eyes when he got hurt in battle, even though she bravely held them in, but to protect her he would fight over and over again if he had to.


	2. 17June

**Title**. Periwinkle smiles

**Disclaimer**. Bleach and all its characters belong to Kubo Tite. If I owned them I wouldn't be slogging away unhappily at a desk job.

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Tatsuki twirled her pen between her fingers as her mind started to wander, ears blocking out the sensei's lessons in her musing. Earlier this morning, Orihime had looked at Ichigo, and softly commented to her that it was coming to be that time of the year again. Instead of the bright cheery greeting she usually gave him, Orihime had smiled gently at him instead as she wished him good morning. Tatsuki had never been able to notice the difference in Ichigo's behaviour before – it seemed like only Orihime could – but today, she saw it. At Orihime's gentle greeting, the empty smile and forced expression had dropped from Ichigo's face, and a look had flashed across his face. It was a split second, but both girls saw it. Pain, anguish, loss, guilt – they had all flitted across his features for that brief moment. Orihime stepped closer, and placed a comforting hand on his arm, turning her face up toward him. Her eyebrows were creased in worry and eyes wide in concern, but she offered up another warm smile, and squeezed his arm lightly. Ichigo seemed to shake himself off mentally as his eyes softened and he smiled tremulously down at her, murmuring a word of thanks. Tatsuki had stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded by what she had just seen. Did Ichigo keep that much hurt inside him this time of the year? And all this time, none of them had noticed it? She gazed at Ichigo across the classroom.

_The last time I ever saw him showing such a sad face… was when he stood by the riverbank where his mother died… Orihime… you've really been watching him, haven't you?_

The next day, there was a small package of chocolates and a single flower on Ichigo's desk, along with a small note that bore a cartoonish doodle of two periwinkle flowers, and the words "to Kurosaki-kun and Kurosaki-san".


	3. Gifts

**Title**. Periwinkle smiles

**Disclaimer**. Bleach and all its characters belong to Kubo Tite. If I owned them I wouldn't be slogging away at a desk job.

**A.N.** Renruki this time :)

Rukia hummed, lying belly down on the wooden floor as the crayon in her hand slid across the paper. She selected another colour, and drew one of her signature bear figures next to the caricature that was supposed to be Wakame Ambassador.

Loud footsteps across the wooden floor approached, with a friendly and familiar reiatsu rolling off the person in waves. Rukia paused in her drawing, knowing that her friend was about to step through the doors at any moment.

The door slid open, and there was Renji, loud, unabashed and cocky as always.

"Hey, Rukia!" He bellowed. "Just got back from a mission in the human world, and guess what I got you?" Rukia perked up, eyes shining and sitting up abruptly at the mention of gifts. She held out her hands expectantly, fingers wriggling in eagerness. Renji laughed at the anticipation on her face, a loud boisterous sound rumbling from his chest. Pulling out a large Chappy plushie and a Chappy & friends stationery set, he watched in amusement as Rukia squealed and hugged the items tightly to her chest, fawning over how "soft and cuddly!" the plushie was. He grinned and settled down on the floor, content just to appreciate the joy radiating off the petite woman before him.

Rukia turned to Renji and launched herself into his lap, hugging him around the waist and excitedly proclaiming into his chest her thanks for the gifts received, the chappy plushie squished against both their sides. Renji blushed all the way to his roots a fierce red that could rival even his hair, sputtering from a loss of words. He raised shaking, hesitant hands and apprehensively placed them around the woman in his lap, their arms now around each other. He finally relaxed at the feel of her in his arms, and his tense form eased to rest his cheek upon the top of her head.

Smiling, he thought to himself that spending all his credits on the Chappy items was quite a good investment after all.

Hope you liked, let me know what you think :)  
Reviews are always appreciated.  
Next chapter will be a RenRuki smut piece that i'm already halfway through writing, heh.  
It'll probably be longer than my usual drabbles cuz right now, halfway through, it's already longer than the length of my usual drabbles in this fic.


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